Suction cleaner



Allg. 2l, 1934:. KH. B, WHITE L97L59 SUCTION CLEANER Filed Nov. 4, 1932INVENTOR 57 @www4 ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 21, 1934 SUCTION CLEANER HarryB. white, cantan, ohio, assignor The Hoover Company, North Canton, hio,a corporation of Ohio Application November 4, 1932, Serial No. 641,151 zclaims. (c1. 15457) The present invention relates to suction cleaners ingeneral and more particularly to a new and improved agitator guard for asuction cleaner. More specifically, the invention comprises theprovision in a suction cleaner, at the nozzle mouth thereof, of apivoted guard finger vwhich 'is adapted, when in position, to preventthe lifting of the surface covering undergoing cleaning into the nozzlemouth to an undue extent under the influence of the suction therein, andwhich, be-

cause it is pivoted, can be moved to an inoperative position which willpermit the removal of the agitator from the nozzle. l

It is an object of the present invention to pro- 1| vide a new andimproved protective member for a suction cleaner agitator. It is afurther object to provide, in a suction cleaner, a new and improved typeof guard linger for a nozzle mouth. It is the still further object toprovide a pivoted 2 guard finger in a suction cleaner nozzle whichfunctions, in the operation of the cleaner, to limit the displacement ofthe surface covering undergoing cleaning within the nozzle mouth. Theseand other more specic objects will appeal.' ,upon reading the followingspecification and claims and upon considering in connection therewiththe attached drawing to which they relate.

Referring now to the drawing in which a preferred embodiment of thepresent invention is disclosed, and in which the same referencecharacter refers to like parts throughout:

Figure 1 is a side view of a suction cleaner embodying the presentinvention, the side wall of the nozzle being partly broken away;

Figure 2 is a partial bottom view of the cleaner shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an enlarged view of the pivoted guard linger and its seatcomprising the present invention;

Figure 4 is a view at right angles to that shown in Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a section upon the line 5--5 of Figure 3;

Figure 6 is a partial view of the guard finger in an intermediateposition;

Figure 'l is a view of the guard finger element removed from its seat;

Figure 8 vis a section upon the line 8 8 of Figure 2 showing theagitator-retaining mechanism.

In the drawing a modern suction cleaner is disclosed which comprises amain casing including a nozzle 1, a fan chamber 2 which is interiorlyconnected to the nozzle by means of an air passageway 3, and an exhaustoutlet 4 to which is removably attached, by suitable means 5, a dust bag6 of the usual type. Upon the main'casing is a motor casing which isindicated by the reference character '7.- As in the usual suctioncleaner the driving motor functions to rotate a suction-creating fan,both the motor and fan being unshown, within the fan chamber 2, whichhas the effect of creating a suction and drawing cleaning air into thenozzle 1, between the surface-contacting lips 8 and 9 thereof, for thepurpose of carrying away" foreign matter from the surface covering anddepositing it in the dirt bag 6 into which the air exhausts. 'I'hecleaner body is movably supported by means of front wheels 10, 10 andrear wheels 11, 11 of which only one is shown and which are providedwith suitable means 12 by which the cleaner nozzle may be adjustedrelative to a surface covering undergoing-cleaning. A pivoted handle 13is provided, together with its position-controlling means 14, by whichthe operator can exert a force on the cleaner to move it about upon asurface covering undergoing cleaning.

Within the nozzle 1 of the cleaner is positioned a rotatable agitator ofthe rigid beater type which is indicated generally by the referencecharacter 15. Agitator 15 is rotated by means of a belt 16 which issuitably connected to the cleaner motor in a manner which forms no partof the present invention. The agitator includes a stationary shaft whichis received at each of its ends with- 86 in a slot 17 formed in the endwall of the nozzle, being retained at the upper end thereof by asuitable cam latching member 18 which is springheld in a lockingposition by a spring 19. To remove the agitator from the nozzle it isonly necessary 90 to pivot the lever 18 against the force exerted'byspring 19 so that the agitator shaft may be low-v ered in the slot.

In order to prevent the surface covering undergoing cleaning from beinglifted excessively within the nozzle l between the lips 8 and 9 thereof,a danger which is very real with the great suction used in present dayeilicient suction cleaners, a guard linger 20 is provided. Finger 20includes a main portion which extends transversely across the nozzlemouth between the lips 8 and 9 and in the present preferred embodimentis shown formed of substantial spring metal wire although it is to beunderstood that it is within the scope of the invention to form thisfinger member in any suitable manner and of any desirable mate-v rial solong as it is capable of performing the desired function andco-operating with the other parts in the manner characteristic of thetype v disclosed. Finger 20 is pivotally mounted upon 110 there beingsuitable washers 23, 23 positioned between the lip and the. member 2 1.Seat member 21 is provided with cam faces 24, 24 at its ends for adenite reason. transversely extending portions or arms of the member 20are bent .so that they extend substantially in the direction and planeof the main portion of the linger and, with the finger in the operativeposition, these end portions seat under the end portions of the seatmember 21 and hold the finger in place. As figures of the drawing theseouter end portions of the finger 20 also limit the pivotal movement ofthe finger into the nozzle.

If for any reason it is desired to remove the agitator from the cleanernozzle it is evident that the finger 20 must rst be lowered as itextends directly under the agitator in a protective position. In, orderto lower the finger it is only necessary to exert a downward pull uponthe main portion thereof. The downward force results in the end portionsof the nger sliding upwardly around and out from under the end portionsof the seat member 21. As is clearly seen in Figure 5 the washers 23, 23are cone-shaped thereby providing seats under the end portions of member21 which slope upwardly/and outwardly so that the end portions of nger20 are not positively locked in place. Once displaced from under theseat member 21 the endportions of nnger 20 slide along the cam faces 24,24 as the finger is pivoted downwardly from the nozzle until it reachesa position, as shown in Figure l, in which it in no way interferes withthe downward displacement of the agitator.

I'he outer ends of the ,is clearly shown in the that in its normal stateit assumes a position shown in Figure 7 whereas in the seated positionthe two sides of the finger are slightly spread apart as shown in Figure3. This spring action is characteristic of the linger. As the finger ispivoted upwardly the end portions thereof con- .it is well adapted to bepositioned so as to protect any portion of the agitator across itslength.

I claim:

1. In a suction cleaner of the type having an agitator within thesuction nozzle and removable therefrom thru the nozzle mouth, a nozzlehaving a mouth, an agitator guard finger formed of a strong spring wireshaped to provide an elongated main portion, a transversely extendingportion, and an end portion adjacent to and extending at an angle tosaid transversely extending portion,

means pivotally seating said ylinger at the nozzle mouth thru rotatablyenclosing said transversely extending portion, and a seat having acammed approach adapted to receive and seat said end portion under apressure exerted by said wire.

2. In a suction cleaner of the type having an agitator within thesuction nozzle and removable therefrom thru the nozzle a'mouth, anagitator guard iinger including a main portion extended across thenozzle mouth, a second portion extended parallel to a wall of saidnozzle, and a third locking portion adjacent the same side of saidnozzle mouth as said second portion, means pivotally mounting saidfinger thru rotatably enclosing said second portion, and

a seat to,resistingly lock said locking portion, and so the entirefinger, in the working position, said seat including a cam portion overwhich said locking portion must be forced against the resiliency of thefinger to enter or leave said seat.'

. HARRY B. WHITE.

mouth, a nozzle having.y

